


Ruination

by SilentReprobate



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Betrayal, Fake AH Crew, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-20 10:41:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14259216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentReprobate/pseuds/SilentReprobate
Summary: “How long?” There’s a pause. It feels like Ryan hasn’t spoken in so long, almost like they’ve forgotten how his voice sounds. When was the last he spoke? Why were the words so hoarse? “...Since the beginning.”





	Ruination

**Author's Note:**

> This was a prompt I got from the writer's server. Was listening to [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIWIGqNW6E0) on repeat the whole time. Also on [Tumblr. ](https://silentreprobate.tumblr.com/post/172740233931/hit-me-with-that-fahc-myan-angst-of-how-long)If you like my writing please check it out.

“You son of a bitch!” The rage radiates throughout the penthouse. It feels like the walls shake from the shout. They feel it just as vehemently as Michael does. 

Yet, they all stand to watch nervously as the lad shoves Ryan further into the living room. He presses him back against a wall, fist curling so tightly that his knuckles turn white. They shake from the force as every bit of his anger pools into them. All things considered, nobody could blame him. 

The silence that follows is just as uncomfortable. The revelation weighs over them heavily like a thick fog, leaving them speechless.

The brunt force of Michael’s anger is taken by Ryan.

Fist connects with the same skull mask they’ve seen day in and day out.

Hands grab Michael. They pull him back to prevent the fight from escalating. Though, it doesn’t feel like much of a fight. Ryan is left standing there, his head still facing the direction the punch sent it. There’s not even a sound that comes from him. More of Michael’s screaming fills the penthouse; filling the air with more tension as unanswered questions grows. 

Everyone shares a look between each other as it’s broken by the sound of soft snivels. 

Michael hates crying. He’s always been spitfire and anger and maybe those flames started to die down just a bit whenever a certain vagrant made his home within the embers but now it feels like they’ve been stomped out. All that remains are the ashes. The kindling that made up his walls no longer exists. His emotions lay bare before the crew.

Curly bangs cover his face. They do little to hide his hiccups. He goes slack in Jeremy’s arms. 

Michael can’t lift his head as his voice breaks with a whisper, “How long did you plan on betraying us?”

Silence lasts too long. Minutes feel like hours as it drags on uncomfortably. Frustration boils in his veins when no answer is given. He tears himself from the others to tear Ryan’s mask off his head.

It’s a weak attempt to force Ryan to face them; to face what he’s done to them.

They’re met with bruises and dark bags under emotionless eyes. It was almost like Ryan wasn’t there as his vacant expression bore holes off to the wall. He still made no attempt to look at anyone. 

“How long?” There’s a pause. It feels like Ryan hasn’t spoken in so long, almost like they’ve forgotten how his voice sounds. When was the last he spoke? Why were the words so hoarse? “...Since the beginning.”

A curse comes from behind Michael. He dares to look back and realization seems to fill them all. Doubt began to take its hold. They all want to see the best in Ryan but now it feels so hard to do so. They nearly lost their lives because of him. There’s only so much that can be forgiven.

Michael’s all out of forgiveness, however. He’s too tired to lash out again. His shoulders sag like there were boulders weighing him down. All of his love, all of his passion: Ryan took advantage of it all. They were nothing more than a target with a large sum of money on their heads. He meant nothing to him. 

“Surely there’s an explanation,” Gavin says quietly, trying to press for answers. He steps past Michael to stare up at Ryan with pleading eyes. Even though the mercenary still wouldn’t look at them, he still tries. He even dares to reach out.

Except, Ryan pulls away.

Hurt flashes across Gavin’s face. Michael takes the lad by his arm, putting more distance between them and the Vagabond. His grip tightens as the monster that was once their friend steps closer. He almost reaches for his gun.

Except, the mask is taken from his hand. He lets it happen. It’s a whirlwind of emotions in his head and in his heart. Michael was close enough to lash out or pull Ryan close. The broken expression on his now? ex partner’s face only makes things so much more complicated. Even Gavin was close to doing the same.

“I’m sorry,” Ryan says, barely a whisper. And yet, it hardly sounds like he was.

Michael grits his teeth. Resolve bursts through his chest as he pushes Gavin behind him to get in Ryan’s face. He’s searching for answers he knows he won’t find. Even after pushing past Ryan’s walls, there are far too many things he’s kept hidden from him. It hurts knowing that. It hurts that all of Michael’s attempts fell short. He felt cheated. After laying himself bare dozens and dozens of times, it’s all for nothing.

His eyes narrow. Fists curl into the Vagabond’s jacket, trying to pull Ryan down to his face but he’s immovable. Frustration makes him shove him back against the wall again. “After all your lies, how do I know you mean it when you say you’re sorry?”

The mask slips back on. Even with the Vagabond in his hands, its presence pierced Ryan’s skin, taking roots that even with the rubber skull shaking in fists it’s clear the man they once loved wasn’t there. He stares down at it and wordlessly stuffs it into his jacket. Then he finally looks up at them.

Maybe Ryan’s not as good at hiding everything as he believes he is. The stoic expression doesn’t hide away the tears that rim his eyes. He can’t hide how watery his voice sounds.

Everything is still.

“You don’t.”

Ryan ducks his head back down, taking Michael’s hand in his. The trembling that Michael wasn’t aware of until now worsen as he releases him. There’s nothing that follows as Ryan steps forward, moving Michael out of the way, parting the crew as he walks through, and leaves them there to the silence once more. No one dares move. No one even thinks about following after him.

Michael slams his fist into the wall where Ryan once stood. “God damn it!”


End file.
